Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SNOWPLOW DEFLECTION SYSTEM PROTECTING SNOWPLOW VEHICLES AND
WINDSHIELDS
Background of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of snowplows,
specifically, to the use of visors or foils which would
reduce and control the blowing of snow up over the upper
edge of the moldboard of the plow. Such snow may strike
the windshield of the plow, the body of the plow vehicle,
and strike or enter into the engine of the plow vehicle.
This causes obstruction of the view of the driver of the
vehicle, damage to the body of the plow vehicle and
impairment of the vehicle's engine performance.
In a normal snowplow, without a snow deflector system, snow
may come up over the top of the snowplow and ultimately
cause a vision problem for the driver; both from the snow
blown in the path of his vision and the snow impacting on
the windshield. Also, the snow can be drawn into the
engine causing impairment of engine performance or even
damage to the engine itself. Further, in areas where sand
and/or salt is put on the road to help increase traction
and melt ice under the snow, the sand or salt has a
tendency to mix with the snow and move in a manner very
similar to the snow itself. This mixture of snow, salt,
and sand can cause a sandblasting effect upon the body of
the vehicle thereby significantly reducing the life of
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the boldy of the vehicle by removing the paint from the vehicle and
exposing the bare metal surface of the vehicle to direct contact
with the snow and road salt. There have been many attempts to solve
this particular problem but none do so by the unique and simple, but
effective, design of the instant invention.
For example U.S. Patent 2,385,996 (Phillips) discloses a sno~ flow
deflector. However, unlike the instant invention Phillips shows the
leading edge of its deflector to be at or~below the upper edge of
the moldboard. This is completely contrary to the structure of the
instant invention. Further, the design of Phillips allows its
deflector to tip back, as a safety feature, when large drifts are
encountered. This eliminates the effectiveness of the Phillips
device in those situations. Also, the flngle iron 5 disclosed in
figures 1-3 and structures 40, 1, and 41 of the alternative design
disclosed in figure 6, all create choke points which will impede the
flow of snow under the deflector causing a bloclcage which would
render the deflector inoperative. Additionally, Phillips discloses
no belt or barrier structure for partially containing the flow of
snow particles as they are pushed out in front of the moldboard.
The final alternative structure disclosed in figure 7 of Phillips
is completely different in structure from the instant invention.
U.S. Patent 3,432,947 (Peitl), is also structurally and conceptually
different from the instant invention. Peitl does not disclose the
use of the belt barrier that is hung from the top edge of the moldboard
in the instant invention. Further, the concept of the instant
invention is to provide a deflector which provides minimum resistance
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_ to the flow of snow-and air that is captured by it. The steep angle
of orientation taught in Peitl provides greater resistance to air
flow than the instant invention and therefore is counter to the
design of the instant invention. Finally, the design of the Peitl
deflector is such that it does not extend sufficiently from the
moldboard to prevent it from being overpowered by snow that builds up
on the moldboard when the plow is operatedat the high speeds necessary
to effectively clesn modern highways. Other references include U.S.
Patent 1,900,703 (Frink), U.S. Patent 1,926,071 (Soule), U.S. Patent
2,904,904 (Krueger), and U.S. Patent 4,459,769 (Willis). None of
these references disclose either the use of the barrier belt or the
use of a snow deflector which allows the flow of air and snow rising
over the top edge of the moldboard to be deflected behind the back
side of the moldboard and underneath the snowplow vehicle.
15 ~he main objective of the instant invention is to capture flnd control
snow thst rises over the top edge of the moldboard of the snowplow.
It is a further objective of the instant invention that, once the
air and sno~ is captured, there must be no resistance to the flow of
snow or air as it is deflected behind the moldboard and underneath
the snow plow vehicle.
It is an advantage of the instant invention to sllow plowing at high
speed, this leaves the road in better, cleaner condition.
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It is a further advantsge of the instant invention that the airflow
directed behind the moldboflrd and under the vehicle prevents any
snow or other particulate matter that may pass under the moldboard
from being blown toward the vehicle. This is because the airflow
from the foil at the top of the moldboard blows the particles coming
from under the plow, down and away from the body of the vehicle and
the engine of the vehicle.
Summary Of The Invention
The instant invention is to be built into or attached to a snowplow
for the purpose of capturing and controlling the snow coming over the
top ofa snowplow vehicle's moldboard. This system works on virtually
any snowplow. An arcuate foil is located above the moldboard at a
pre-selected distance according to the size and shape of the plow.
A belt is attached to the top margin of the moldboard. The front
edge of the deflector is projected forward and above the top edge of
the moldboard and preferflbly, although not necessarily, in back of
the vertical plane of the bottom edge of the belt to capture the snow
as it passes up in front of the moldboard. The foil re-directs the
snow and air from an upward direction to a downward direction as the
snow and air is passing over the moldboard.
Also, the instant invention prevents, or reduces the amount of, dust,
snow and other debris that is normally present between the front end
of the snowplow vehicle and the back side of the moldboard from being
blown into the plow vehicle. In a conventional snowplow reduced
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~ pressure is created at the back side of the moldboard as the plow
vehicle moves along a road. This causes suction. The greater the
speed the greater the suction. This suction normally causes debris
immediately behind the moldboard to be lifted off the ground and
blown into the vehicle. The instant invention, by providing a
downward ~low of air between the moldboard and the vehicle, prevents
this from happening.
Many variables affect the amount of snow that is blown over the top
of the moldboard: The speed at which the vehicle is being driven,
the water content of the snow, the depth of the snow, and the size
and shape of the moldboard. These variables can work together to
overpower even the most advanced known snow deflecting system.
However, the instant invention, by means of a unique and simple
design, combines the use of the above described foil with a belt or
other barrier mesns hung from the top of the moldboard. The belt
knocks down the snow that is pushed up the moldboard thereby keeping
the cloud of snow particles lower to the ground and in a closer
relationship to the moldboard than other prior art systems. This
limits the distance, out in front of the moldboard, where the airborne
particles of snow are in fact traveling. This allows the foil, which
has one edge well out in front of the top margin of the moldboard,
to easily capture and control the snow particles. As air combines
with snow and other particulate matter in front of the moldboard it
travels in a generally upward direction and the front edge of the
25 foil catches the mixture and, with minimal interference, directs it
back and down toward the ground behind the moldboard and underneath
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the snowplow vehicle. The lack of resistance to this operation is
insured by tilting the foil slightly downward in the front and
bringing the foil out over the top edge of the moldboard just enough
to force the snow under the vehicle. This results in either no snow or
a significantly reduced amount of snow obstructing the vision of the
plow vehicle driver, improves the efficiency and safety of operation
of the snowplow, and lengthens the life of the snowplow vehicle.
Both the belt and the foil, in the described relationship, are needed
to conform to the invention and achieve the desired result.
lC These and other benefits of the instant invention will be apparent to
one skilled in the art from the following description.
Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an alternative structure for the
invention disclosed herein.
Figure 2 is a side elev~tional view of an alternative structure for
the invention described herein.
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the invention disclosed herein.
Figure 4 is a rear elevational view of the moldboard and the snow
deflector.
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Detailed Description
Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those
skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments
herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied
in other specific structure. While the preferred embodiment has
been described, the details may be changed without departing from
the invention, which is defined by the claims.
The instant invention is a snow deflector system 100 comprising an
arcuate foil 10 and a belt 11. Please see figure 3. The system is
attached to the moldboard 30 of a snowplow vehicle 60. The moldboard
30 comprises a generally arcuate shaped body having a top edge 31,
a bottom edge 3i, a back side 33, and a front side 34. The back side33
is generally convex and the front side 34 is generally concave. The
moldboard 30 may also have a pair of skids 40 which prevent the
15 bottom edge 32 from scraping or cutting into the road bed when the plow
is in use. Please see figure 4.
The structure of the instant invention may be made adjustable in
many various ways that will be apparent to those skilled in the srt.
In the preferred form of the invention the foil 10 is attached to
the baclc side 33 of the moldboard 30 by struts 50 and bolts 51. The
belt 11 is attached to the top edge 31 of the moldboard 30 by bolts
52. Figure 3. Many other attachment means will, of course, be
apparent to those skilled it the art. For example, the belt 11 could
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be attached to the ribs 54 of the moldboard 30. Further,
as the figures show, a safety cable 80 is attached to the
foil 10 to keep it with the moldboard 30 in the unlikely
event it should break free from its mounting. This
prevents the foil 10 from being blown into the plow vehicle
60; e.g. in an accident.
The struts 50 are attached to both the moldboard 30 and the
foil 10 by the bolts 51. The struts 50 are positioned so
that the front edge 12 of the foil 10 extends out beyond
and above the top edge 31 of the moldboard 30. Figure 3.
Further the position of struts 50 is designed to prevent
the development of choke points. Figures 1 and 4. The
back edge 13 of the foil 10, relative to the ground and
relative to moldboard 30, is located at a level that is
slightly above the level or at the same level as the front
edge 12. However, the downward arc of the back edge 13 is
sufficient to create a downward flow of snow which passes
over the top edge 31 of the moldboard 30, while at the same
time allowing the foil 10 to present minimal resistance to
the airflow 70. Figures 2 and 3. This allows the snow to
be easily deflected away from the plow vehicle 60 by
providing an airflow path 70 that offers minimal
resistance. In other words the system of the instant
invention provides a path of least resistance for the snow
particles down and away from the plow.
The belt 11 is attached to the top edge 31 of the moldboard
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30 by the bolts 52. The belt 11 knocks down any snow that
builds up near the top edge 31 of the moldboard 30. This
keeps the snow closer to the front side 34 of the moldboard
30; even at high speeds. Without the belt 11 snow
particles can build up to the point, where they are
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sufficiently out in front of the front edge 12 of the foil 10, that
they can flow over the top of the foil 10, thereby rendering the foil
10 useless. The belt 11 keeps the snow particles sufficiently close
to the front side 34 of the moldboard 30 so that the snow
5 particles cannot build up to the point where they can blow over the top
of the foil 10.
In its preferred form the belt 11 is made out of approximately 3/8
inch thick belting material; usually rubber. Ideally the belt 11
covers about 25% of the distance between the top edge 31 and the
bottom edge 32 of the moldboard 30. This is an ideal width, but
other widths may be used which do not interfere with snow entering
or being scooped into the moldboard 30 and which keep the rising
snow close to the moldboard 30.
The foil 10 and the belt 11 work in conjunction as follows- As the
plow vehicle ~G travels down a road, snow begins to build up on the
front side 34 of the moldboard 30. The belt 11 knocks this snow
down, keeping it close to the surface of the moldboard 30; even at
high plowing speeds. This keeps the light particulate snow dust
sufficiently close to the front side 34 of the moldboard 30 so that
it cannot get out in front of the front edge 12 of the foil 10. The
front edge 12 of the foil 10 extends out in front of and above the
top edge 31 of the moldboard 30 but, preferably, does not extend out
in front of the bottom edge 16 of the belt 11. The snow dust that
escapes and is blown over the top edge 31 of the moldboard 30
is pushed, by the airflow 70 created as the plow vehicle 60 moves
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down the rofld, into the spflce 20 thflt is between the top edge 31 of
the moldboard 30 and the front edge 12 of the foil 10. Figure 2.
The bflck edge 13 of the foil 10 then redirects the snow dust down,
toward the ground, and away from the plow vehicle 60.
Referring now to figures 1 and 2 an alternative embodiment of the
instant invention may be seen. The only difference between the
structure of the fllternative embodiment and that of the instant
invention is that the belt 11 is made integral with the structure of
the moldboard 30. This further improves the efficiency of the
invention.
Also, as figure 2 shows, when the structure of the belt 11 is made
integral with the structure of the moldboard 30 then one structure
with the same function flS the previously described combination of
moldboard 30 and belt 11 exists. This is true even though the
integral belt 11 is usually substantially more rigid than the separate
belt 11. Figures 1 and 2.
The word "belt'lherein refers either to fl belt fldded to the upper edge
ofa moldboard, or to one integral with the upper edgeofthe moldboard.
The word "snow" as it hfls been used in this description and in the
following claims means, in addition to its comrnon meflning~ fl mixture
of snow flir flnd other mfltter; e.g. sfllt or sand.
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The above described embodiments of this invention are merely
descriptive of its principles and are not to be limiting. The scope
of this invention instead shall be determined from the scope of the
following claims, including their equivalents. I
